FMT
September 22, 2020
Questions abound over the refusal of FA of Malaysia (FAM)
technical director Peter de Roo to extend his contract.
His premature exit is baffling as over the past three years he
played a major role in executing FAM’s Roadmap 2019-2030 that aims to transform
Harimau Malaya into a force in Asian and world football.
Based on de Roo’s posting on his Facebook last week, where he
announced his decision not to extend his contract which expires in December
this year, it is obvious he was not ready to leave.
He wrote after his meeting with FAM president Hamidin Mohd Amin:
“I say with great pain in my heart that I’m not ready to leave as it feels we
are just getting started. My time with FAM has been a great journey which I
thoroughly enjoyed.”
Did a conspiracy against him make it untenable for him to carry
out his duties? Did the FAM have other plans? Was someone else eyeing de Roo’s
job? Did de Roo decide to move on in July when he hinted that he may not extend
his contract and was considering other offers?
In response, Hamidin said: “We have offered him a new contract
and want him to carry on with his tasks. However, if we can’t match his offers,
then we will think about alternatives.
“It is better for him to remain with us as the DNA project
(vision and philosophy) is his baby, and we want this initiative to help change
the landscape of Malaysian football.”
His exit could result in head of the coaching education unit,
David Abela, also leaving on expiry of his contract in December. The Australian
was roped in by de Roo.
Abela is back in Australia and FAM will discuss the matter with
him on his return. His contract allows him to live in Australia and come to
Malaysia for stints but this may prove to be an obstacle if his term is
extended.
It is no secret that de Roo’s relationship with local coaches is
shaky. Some disagree with his philosophy and methods and have been working
against him, while others have been supportive.
Then, there are those who believe that a local coach should be
the technical director.
Perhaps, a recent interview with de Roo on the View and Review
(VAR) Show may give a clue about his reluctance to renew his contract.
He lamented the cancellation of youth tournaments – the
President’s and Youth Cups – due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the scant attention
paid by state football associations to development programmes.
It was of paramount importance for Asian football to place
emphasis on development of the game to be on par or close to European
standards, he said.
Local coaches were upset when he said the M-League was not up to
the mark because of questionable coaching methods.
He also held firm that football decisions should be made by
football experts and not by owners, presidents or members of the board whose
knowledge of the game was limited.
Several names are in the mix for the technical director’s post:
leading the pack is former national youth coach Ong Kim Swee, at present the
assistant technical director-cum-youth development unit head.
Others include B. Sathianathan, who was sacked yesterday, two
days after Selangor lost 6-1 to Johor DT, as well as Kedah’s Azaari Khor and
former National Football Development Programme project director Lim Teong Kim.
Names for Coach Educator have also surfaced and in the fray are
former national coach Wan Jamak Hassan, who is a FAM coaching instructor, and
Penang’s former national striker C. Nadarajan, also an instructor.
To add to FAM’s woes, the head of the grassroots unit, Samuel
Siew, has also quit to take up an offer in England.
An official statement from FAM on its plans following de Roo’s
departure is expected this week.
Malaysian football has failed to make any impression since the
late 80s despite having technical directors such as the late Richard Bates,
Ronald Smith, late N. Raju, Robert Alberts, Lim Kim Chon and Fritz Schmid.
Will the next one make a difference?
BLOG VERSION
Tony
Mariadass Column Sept 19
Will the exit of Peter de Roo see FA of Malaysia rue?
FA of Malaysia must ensure exit of Technical Director will not derail future plans
Based on
the 50-year-old de Roo’s posting on his Facebook on Tuesday, after his meeting
with FA of Malaysia president Hamidin Mond Amin, where he announced his
decision not to extend his contract which expires in December 2020, it was obvious
he was not ready to leave.
“With a heavy heart, I met with the president of
the Football Association of Malaysia and told him of my decision to not extend
my contract that expires at the end of 2020.
“I say this with great pain in my heart, because
somehow I feel that I’m not ready to leave, as it feels we are just getting
started. My time with FAM has been a great journey which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I loved working with so many amazing people in Malaysian football and
especially with the staff in my department. Thank you all for your love and
support,” de Roo posted in his Facebook account.
So why did he decide not to extend his contract and
leave prematurely?
Was there a conspiracy against him which led to him
not being able to carry out his duties with all the opposition against him?
Did the FA of Malaysia have other plans? Was
someone else eyeing de Roo’s job?
Did de Roo already decide to move on as there were
telling signs as early as in July that he may not extend his contract and
hinted he had offers from elsewhere?
Did things eventually turn sour between the FA of
Malaysia and de Roo?
The FA of Malaysia will only give an official
statement next week on Roo’s departure and their future plans.
In July, when news first surfaced that de Roo, who
hails from Holland, was not going to extend his contract, Hamidin had
responded:
“Yes, De Roo’s contract
is expiring soon. However, we have offered him a new contract, and currently
both parties are in discussion.
“We want him to stay and carry on
with his tasks here. However, if we can’t match his other offers, then we would
think about other alternatives.
“But frankly, it is better for him to
remain with us as the DNA project is his baby, and we want this initiative to
help change the landscape of Malaysian football."
Roo’s departure could also result in Head of
Coaching Education Unit, David Abela, who was brought in by de Roo from
Australia and whose contract also expires at the end of December, is also expected
to leave.
Abela is currently back in Australia, and FAM will
discuss with him the situation on his return.
Abela is not based in Malaysia but his contract
allows him to stay in Australia and come to Malaysia for stints. This may prove
to be an obstacle, if it comes to extending his contract.
Another who also wants to exit is Sameul Siew, Head
of Grassroots Unit, who has also tendered his resignation but has nothing to do
with the pending departures of de Roo or Abela.
Siew is taking up an offer in England to better his
career.
Back to de Roo. It is no secret that his
relationship with local coaches blows hot and cold. While some are
supportive of his presence, there are others who do not agree with his
philosophy and methods.
Then, there are those who believe that a local
coach should be the Technical Director.
There are murmurs that a group of local coaches has
been critical of de Roo and working against him.
Several names have already cropped up immediately
after de Roo announced he will not extend his contract. Among the
favourites is former national youth coach Ong
Kim Swee, who is currently the assistant technical director-cum-youth
development unit head.
Other names which have also surfaced include B. Sathianathan (whose
contract was supposed to end at the end of the year was unceremoniously sacked
today (Monday after Selangor 6-1 defeat to Johor DT on Saturday), Kedah’s
Azaari Khor and former National Football Development Programme project
director, Lim Teong Kim.
Names for Coach Educator have also surfaced and one surprising candidate
is former national coach Wan Jamak Hassan, who is also a coaching instructor
with FAM and Penang's former national striker C. Nadarajan who is currently,
also an instructor.
While de Roo is not saying anything more than what he has posted in his
Facebook, his recent interview with The VAR Show - The View and Review Show (a pun on
the VAR), may give a clue as to his reluctance to renew his contract because of
frustrations in certain areas.
He
underlined in the interview three areas in Asian football which is of utmost
importance for the development of the game to be on par or close to European
standards. They are:
# Youth competition is of utmost
importance and maybe with the cancellation of youth tournaments – President’s
and Youth Cup - because of the Covid 19 pandemic, and minimum attention given
by State FAs to youth development, de Roo’s frustration has been building up.
#Performance of M-League is not up to
what it is capable of because coaching standards generally are not up to the
mark. Local coaches took offence this, but what de Roo meant was the coach
education was not at its highest level to see the coaches at their best.
#And finally de Roo strongly believes that
football decisions must be made by football experts and not owners, presidents
or members of the board whose knowledge of the game is very limited.
While de Roo’s departure may leave a huge void in
the Malaysian coaching set-up, FAM believes that with or without De Roo, their
plans will not be derailed as all plans are in place and it is just a matter of
carrying it out.
Time will tell and FAM needs to be more careful and
selective when they pick of their future technical directors.
Malaysia simply has had one too many come and go
(both local and foreign) and Malaysian football has failed to make any
impression.
Among those who have come as Technical Directors since the late 80s are the likes of the late Richard Bate, Ronald Smith, late N. Raju, Robert Alberts, Lim Kim Chon and Fritz Schmid.
Ends.
No comments:
Post a Comment